About me parkland and a heavy wet mist concealing and submerging all that is contained within my view. The park remains empty to other visitors, man, woman, child and animal; none is venturing out on this grey, dank and forlorn winters day. My reader I have no company on this lonely walk, I do not see nor do I pass anyone on this hard and cold pathway meandering between the planted Alder and Elder either side of this woodland park pathway.

I am annoyed, at losing two days ago, a gift, given to me by Professor Edmund Katz. He had presented to me, for protection he said, a small pendant crucifix. The chain and clasp design flimsy and in my thoughts when wearing it the other day, the inevitable happened and it dropped free. I lost the gift no doubt of it. I have not told the Professor yet. Things like that do play on my mind and I am annoyed with myself for I did not listen to my intuition that had sensed the clasp would be too fragile…

I find myself here, amongst the silence of this afternoon because I needed some fresh air, albeit a cold winters day, miserable it may be yet I thought it necessary to get out to take the walk along this old haunt. My brogues slapping down on the stone is the only signal of anybody being here, My footsteps creating a sort of cold reflective echo, my attention shifts from them to realise I can not see beyond 100 yards, cannot pick out landmarks of the park while this clinging wet mist thickens and circles around the trees of this woodland walk.

At first I wander in thought, organising tasks, which I felt needed a breath of fresh air to clear the fuddle through working too long at my desk. I felt guided towards the park to be in amongst Mother Nature resting she is during this wintertime. Therefore, wandering in this direction through the woods the task of organising fell away and my mind becomes empty.

Then attention drifted back and shifted to my surroundings. The way in which ones awareness suddenly seems to notice and sharpen bringing into focus the sound of silence and the way such intensity is building.

I feel different now about this place. I feel watched. I keep walking I have not stopped to query the thought. I sense I am a target in sight of something unseen. My thoughts tell me I am not alone. Just probably, a vivid imagination you might say. I think that, as well as you. However, I am here and you are there. A thought as well as feelings have finally pushed a way through seeking acknowledgment to be wary of this place.

I have not stopped to check properly in a silent moment but continued walking and wonder now whether that momentary revelation registered outwardly in some form of body language. If I keep walking this pathway, it brings me around to where I started from and back into civilisation. I shall not attempt a shortcut through the trees, the ground is too uneven, a brook cuts through where it is muddy and rutted, and I suspect difficult to negotiate in the gloom without risking a trip or something worse. I shall not look behind me for that will draw attention to the feeling of vulnerability. I straighten myself and continue perhaps just quickening the pace.

I have probably now sent a signal already and know I am being watched. I feel my heart beat race and a sense of apprehension rising. The tension seems to tighten around my throat. My sights focus on the path. I feel uncomfortably hot as I keep moving and I still feel the cold wet chill of the air against my face. The chill is getting into my jaw and ears such a sharp biting sensation. I want to blow my nose but sniff back; I can see my breath a misty exhaled cloud. All I focus on now is to get out of here. I sense there is something; still a distance between us but a menace closing in and I want to run from it.

Not far now the gates are up ahead of me I know this part of the journey. They are just ahead of me. Keep going; lengthen my stride, a bit quicker, come on now hold it together.

At the gate I stop. My sight fixed to what is attached to the wrought iron gate scroll, a flimsy chain with clasp and inverted crucifix cross pendant. I grab it, examine it quickly and know instantly this is mine. In the quickness of that moment I, was gone, running back into civilisation and into the town surrounding and submerging me into its population.